After a lot of hard work, and a lot of music played, Ozark High School is honored to have 47 band students selected to be a part of a South Central All-District Bands. Thirty-one students made either honor or concert band while 16 students made one of the jazz bands. Seven students made both a concert band and a jazz band, ten students were selected as the first chair in their instrument, and 36 students qualified to audition for the All-State bands.

“Making the All-District band is the key to unlocking some pretty great music scholarships for our kids,” OHS Band Director Tom Meyer said. “The students learn their major and minor scales from memory and prepare a packet of music. The audition process is blind and they play four scales and four to five songs out of the packets. It takes months of hard work, focus and also a high quality audition to make the band.”

The South Central District is huge and very competitive, according to Meyer, with 56 schools and hundreds of band kids competing for spots. This year 35 percent of Ozark band kids earned All-District status. Additionally, for the fifth year in a row Ozark had more kids make the All-District band than any other program in the district.

“It takes a lot of hard work from a student to make the All-District band,” Meyer said. “We are so proud of these kids for their hard work and dedication. Next up for this group is All-State band tryouts which happen in early December. We are hoping to have several qualify for that honor as well.”

Asterisked Ozark students below have qualified to audition for All-State in December.

Honor Band
* Jaykob Nickel - Flute (1st chair)
* Anna Wohlfert - Flute
* Audrey Bonucchi - Flute
* Krysta Bailes - Flute
* Ellie Harmon - Oboe
* Kelli Nelson - Clarinet
* Katelyn Parrish - Clarinet
* Josie Mills - Bass Clarinet
* Levi Gant - Bass Clarinet
* Truman Griessel - Alto Sax (1st chair)
* Callee Groves - Alto Sax
* Asher Lairmore - Trumpet
* Brianne Hakala - Trumpet
* Laura Wolfe - French Horn (1st chair)
* Samuel Faught - French Horn
* Derek Gnagy - Trombone (1st chair)
* Sebastian Benedict - Trombone
* Molly Horrell - Trombone
*Joshua Glenn - General Percussion


Concert Band
Kylie Lewis - Flute
* Julia Mills - Oboe
* Kendall Nelson - Oboe
Karis Craig - Clarinet
Jorel Dufault - Clarinet
Ryan McGonigal - Tenor Sax
Abigail Harmon - French Horn
Reagan Gale - French Horn
Oliver Neel - Trombone
Oliver Bonucchi - Trombone
Savannah Miller - General Percussion
Colby Blankenship - General Percussion


Jazz 1
* Ryan McGonigal - Tenor Sax
* Asher Lairmore - Trumpet (1st chair)
* Merrick Gibson - Trumpet
* Sebastian Benedict - Trombone
* Nick Psarev - Piano (1st chair)
* Samuel Faught - Drum Set (1st chair)
* Connor Kitchin - Drum Set


Jazz 2
* Leilani Tavares - Tenor Sax (1st chair)
* Ian Ziehr - Tenor Sax
* Brett Perryman - Tenor Sax
* Brianne Hakala - Trumpet
* Samuel Coody - Trumpet
* Molly Horrell - Trombone
* Derek Gnagy - Trombone
* Isiah Nash - Piano (1st chair)
* Elliott Judy - Guitar (1st chair)